Holden/Car Advice drive day

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I was lucky enough to be invited to the Holden/Car Advice drive day at Lang Lang yesterday. We were able to put the new ZB commodore through its paces ranging from the base model 2.0T through to the VXR and the Country Tourer.
A small highlight of the day was being in the car with Rob Trubiani ( him if you dont know who he is) at full flight in a VXR. Anyone who says you cannot drift an AWD car is just not trying hard enough. Whilst not as fast in a straight line as an SS, show it a twisty road and i highly doubt an SS would keep pace with the VXR, especially if the road was a bit damp

The day started with a slalom course with 50% of it wet. The grip of the awd system is very impressive and it was amazing how fast you could hussle these things. They inspired confidence when pushing on.

Next we drove a road loop in 3 cars, an opel insignia (pre holden tuning), a 2.0T with holden tuning & V6 with holden tuning. The differences were amazing. At the pace we were travelling I actually felt nausia in the opel. It was so floaty and just all over the road. The Holden tuned cars were well planted, easy to place and much more sorted. The difference was huge.
The 2.0T really shown here and has some serious grunt for a base model.
The 9spd auto was also very smooth and highly impressive.

Last was some light off roading in the Calais Country Tourer. If i was looking to buy this would be the pick, as much as i like the cars on the day i still find the styling of the liftback a bit awkward.

The Holden engineers went through some of the features never seen before on a holden with the most impressive being the new headlights. As someone who has done a lot of country driving and cleaned up both a kangaroo and wombat, these headights will be amazing.

Overall it was a fantastic day thanks to the Holden Engineers and Car Advice
Special mention goes to Mel Ong for inviting me a long
Photos from the day to come.

[whitels1ss]

Sounds like it was an interesting day,
look forward to seeing some of the pictures.

[csv rulz]

Sounds like it was an interesting day,
look forward to seeing some of the pictures.

Cameras were covered with tape. So have to wait for CarAdvice to send us the pictures from the day

[BLACK 346]

Looking forward to next edition of Motor, they drive the new Commodore (out March 8).

[Smitty]

.... fair enough comments imo
and mirror my experiences in driving the new Holden
(it certainly is not a Commodore in any way.. no handling no design features like one)

the pity is that the AWD system is so restricted in terms of availability (and so expensive in the ZB)
as it works very well

especially like your comment re that POS .. Opel Insignia that Holden thought would sell here
and
about the wagon styling vs the slopeback sedan notchback thingy

guess we will see how it sells.... pricing is off the mark though
(compared to its competitors .. base ZB notchback $5000 dearer than a new model imported base Camry )

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.... fair enough comments imo
and mirror my experiences in driving the new Holden
(it certainly is not a Commodore in any way.. no handling no design features like one)

the pity is that the AWD system is so restricted in terms of availability (and so expensive in the ZB)
as it works very well

especially like your comment re that POS .. Opel Insignia that Holden thought would sell here
and
about the wagon styling vs the slopeback sedan notchback thingy

guess we will see how it sells.... pricing is off the mark though
(compared to its competitors .. base ZB notchback $5000 dearer than a new model imported base Camry )

Completely agree re price. Not something they discussed on the day but from. What i have seen online each model is about $5-10k to expensive.

In saying that a base camry has a 2.5na which doesnt come close to the 2.0T in the base ZB.

After driving them its almost a shame the 2.0T isnt offered in AWD guise as i think that would be the sweet spot

[Smitty]

Completely agree re price. Not something they discussed on the day but from. What i have seen online each model is about $5-10k to expensive.

In saying that a base camry has a 2.5na which doesnt come close to the 2.0T in the base ZB.....................

maybe so.. for us
but
the average punter will look favourably on a Camry 2.5 na ..... that is $5 large cheaper than this new thing from Holden.

I think I can guess what will sell more

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Some pictures from the day

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Some pictures from the day

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Some pictures from the day

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Last lot of pics

[Ausmartin1]

The AU Ford bonnet center crease line along with the french mustache blade grill really doesn't cut it along with the power drop / price paid.
They should have named it the model VD vs VG as that what the market sales will be like ...
Still GM knows best like always.

[whitels1ss]

The AU Ford bonnet center crease line along with the french mustache blade grill really doesn't cut it along with the power drop / price paid.
They should have named it the model VD vs VG as that what the market sales will be like ...

Yeah, the car does nothing for me.

[Jason01]

I agree, I typically like wagons for some reason and own one but the ones pictured above are fugly beyond comprehension .

[Smitty]

I was lucky enough to be invited to the Holden/Car Advice drive day at Lang Lang yesterday. ............

I was lucky enough today .... to get an invite to go to the national launch / drive event of the thing - Friday Mar2
it said...
please present yourself at Holden in Salmons st at 0800 for light breakfast and coffee which will be
followed by the spiel (read.. Q&A talky + selling session) until 0900 when Holden hand me numerous keys
(all models will be available for a test drive) and send me out on victorian roads until 12.30pm
when I return the Holden employee, keys and the cars to 191 Salmon st